February Is National Children’s Dental Health Month

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month and Dr. Edward Gonzalez, of Pediatric Dental Center, makes sure that children in the Brandon community are taught the importance of dental health.

From a very early age, we are taught how important it is for us to brush our teeth and floss daily in order to maintain healthy teeth and gums. Teaching children about the importance of brushing their teeth is so important, in fact, that the entire month of February is dedicated to it.

Every February, the American Dental Association (ADA) sponsors National Children’s Dental Health Month (NCDHM) in order to raise awareness about the importance of oral health. The biggest reasons that parents should teach their children good dental health practices from a young age is that it helps start them on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums. One of the ways to do this is by starting these habits early and by scheduling regular visits to the dentist.

For Dr. W. Edward Gonzalez, owner of Pediatric Dental Center, February’s National Children’s Dental Health Month highlights what Pediatric Dental strives to do all year long. “At Pediatric Dental we have a dental health educator that we send out into the community, which is something we have been doing for 25 years,” said Gonzalez.

NCDHM campaigns bring together dental professionals, health care providers and more to help promote the benefits of dental health not to just children, but also to adults, caregivers and teachers. Over the years, NCDHM campaigns have reached millions of people across the nation. This year’s campaign slogan is ‘Rock Your Smile,’ encouraging kids to show off their healthy teeth by smiling.

Gonzalez added, “We think it is very important to educate the overall community, especially children, about the importance of dental health. Every year, our dental health educator talks to around 22,000 children in day cares, nursery centers and after school programs.”

Pediatric Dental Center is located at 517 Corner Dr. in Brandon. For more information or to make an appointment, call 685-0804 or visit the Website www.kidtooth.com. For more information about National Children’s Dental Health Month, visit the American Dental Association Website www.ada.org.